Therapy for insomnia & sleep difficulties
CBT for insomnia (CBT-i) is the NICE-recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia — not sleeping pills. UK therapists trained in CBT-i, plus signposting to Sleepio (NICE-approved digital CBT-i, free on NHS in many regions). Free 15-minute discovery call.
When sleep stops working
Chronic insomnia is one of the most common reasons UK adults end up at a GP — and one of the most undertreated. The instinct (yours and often the GP's) is to reach for sleeping pills. NICE explicitly recommends against medication as first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. The recommended treatment is CBT-i: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia.
CBT-i is unusual in talking therapies in that it has both a strong evidence base AND practical, behavioural mechanisms that produce change relatively quickly — typically within 4-8 weeks for most people, with effects that hold up better than medication after treatment ends.
The good news: in many parts of the UK you can access Sleepio, a NICE-approved digital CBT-i programme, free via the NHS. The case for in-person CBT-i is when digital hasn't worked, when sleep difficulty is tangled up with anxiety/depression/trauma, or when you need a person rather than an app.
Common signs and symptoms:
- Difficulty falling asleep (sleep-onset insomnia)
- Waking through the night and struggling to get back to sleep
- Waking too early and being unable to return to sleep
- Non-restorative sleep — waking unrefreshed despite hours in bed
- Daytime fatigue, brain fog, low concentration
- Anxiety about sleep itself ('I'll never sleep tonight')
- Difficulty with rumination at bedtime
- Dependence on alcohol, sleeping medication, or tech to get to sleep
Evidence-based therapies for sleep
CBT for Insomnia (CBT-i)
NICE first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. Combines stimulus control, sleep restriction therapy, cognitive restructuring around sleep, and relaxation. Typically 4-8 sessions. Strong long-term evidence base.
Sleepio (digital CBT-i)
NICE-approved digital CBT-i programme. Free on the NHS in many UK regions (sleepio.com). The first-line digital recommendation for adult insomnia. Worth trying before private therapy unless your insomnia is bound up with other difficulties.
Mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia (MBT-i)
Combines mindfulness practices with sleep-specific techniques. Useful when CBT-i alone hasn't given enough, particularly when rumination is the main barrier.
CBT for the conditions sleep loss is tangled with
Insomnia rarely sits alone. CBT for the underlying anxiety, depression, trauma, or chronic pain often improves sleep alongside it. A skilled therapist works on both layers.
EMDR for trauma-related sleep difficulty
When insomnia is bound up with trauma — nightmares, hypervigilance at bedtime, traumatic intrusion — EMDR for the underlying trauma is often what unlocks the sleep.
Specialist sleep services
For suspected sleep apnea, restless legs, narcolepsy, or other sleep disorders, an NHS or private sleep clinic with a sleep physician is the right call — therapy alone won't fix these.
Why work with a MatchyMatch therapist?
Trained in CBT-i, not generic CBT
CBT-i is a specific protocol with specific techniques (sleep restriction, stimulus control). We list therapists trained in CBT-i specifically, not just generic CBT therapists.
Free discovery call
Insomnia exhausts you. The first 15-minute call is free and low-stakes — meet the therapist, decide if it's a fit.
When Sleepio isn't enough
Sleepio is excellent for many people. When it isn't — your insomnia is tangled with anxiety/trauma/depression, you've tried digital CBT-i before, you want a person not an app — that's where we fit.
Therapy in your language
Doing the work in your first language matters. We have CBT-i and sleep-experienced therapists in English and several other languages.
Online or in-person
CBT-i works extremely well online — the work is largely between sessions anyway (sleep diaries, schedule changes). Some therapists offer in-person where they're local.
Faster than NHS sleep clinics
NHS sleep clinics exist but are typically referral-required and slow. For straightforward insomnia, CBT-i privately is faster and effective.
Why choose MatchyMatch for insomnia therapy?
MatchyMatch is a UK platform for insomnia therapy. Every therapist holds professional registration — with a UK body (BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BPS) or a recognised international body — so you have verified credentials before you ever pick up the phone. Your first 15-minute discovery call with any therapist is free.
- Free 15-minute discovery call before you commit to insomnia therapy
- Verified UK & international credentials (BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BPS, COPSI and others)
- Online or in-person sessions, whichever suits you
- Therapy in English and other languages — including ones the NHS rarely offers
Frequently asked questions
Should I just take sleeping pills?
NICE specifically recommends against medication as first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, because (a) most sleep medications produce dependence and tolerance, (b) effects don't outlast use, and (c) CBT-i works better in the long term. Short courses of sleeping medication can be appropriate for acute insomnia (a couple of weeks of disrupted sleep around a specific event) but not chronic insomnia. Your GP is the right call about medication.
What is Sleepio? Should I try it first?
Sleepio is a digital CBT-i programme developed by Big Health, NICE-recommended for adult insomnia, and free on the NHS in many UK regions (check your local NHS for availability). For straightforward chronic insomnia, it's a fair first call. For insomnia that's tangled with anxiety, depression, trauma, or chronic pain, in-person CBT-i with a therapist who can work on the broader picture is often the right move.
How long does CBT-i take?
CBT-i is unusually fast for psychotherapy — typically 4-8 weekly sessions. Most people see significant improvement by week 4. Effects hold up at follow-up better than sleeping medication does after stopping.
Will I have to do sleep restriction? It sounds awful.
Sleep restriction is a core CBT-i technique — temporarily restricting time in bed to consolidate sleep, then gradually expanding it. The first 1-2 weeks can feel rough; people often quit during this phase, which is why doing it with a therapist who can hold you through it works much better than going it alone. The discomfort is short-term; the result is durable, drug-free sleep.
My insomnia comes from anxiety / trauma / depression. Will CBT-i work?
CBT-i alone often isn't enough when the sleep difficulty is bound up with another condition — you also need work on the underlying difficulty. Many CBT-i-trained therapists can work on both layers; if not, treating the underlying condition (anxiety, depression, trauma) often improves sleep as a side-effect.
What does sleep therapy cost in the UK?
CBT-i specialists in the UK typically charge £80-£130 per session. Sleepio is free on NHS where available. Discovery calls on MatchyMatch are always free.
I'm really not coping right now — what should I do?
If you're at immediate risk, call 999. For urgent NHS help, NHS 111 (option 2 for mental health). Samaritans (116 123) and SHOUT (text 85258) are free, confidential, and open 24/7. Therapy is for the longer-term work; in a crisis, please use the services built for crisis.